Everyone should have equal rights. Nice statement. Is Citizen’s Park going to look like the front of the United Nations building? It is physically impossible to fly all the flags that will demand equal rights. Flying one flag that is neither national nor state will lead to an overwhelming demand by all groups–sports, college, Women’s rights, etc.etc.. The council is opening up a hornet’s nest. No matter how we feel about any specific group’s “rights”, all groups are free to fly any flag at their home, but we should not use public spaces for such flags. It is one thing if a specific group is celebrating a specific day at Citizens. Then a special flag “might” lead to consideration for that day only. Even then, that will lead to multi requests by other groups for “Their day”. The council should not yield to the demands of a single group (of any kind) without seriously considering future consequences.
Truly Amazing to see any official defend this type of budget. If my company performance mirrored that of our schools with the never ending costs I would be fired in a moment. Ridgewood you win.
Reluctantly After 20 years in Ridgewood, we have changed our plans and will be joining others who are leaving. Our children are gone and although we planned to stay and the village should also want us to stay as we have no longer have kids in the system, we have lost the fight. Our property taxes are almost $50,000. The taxes have gone up almost 8x in 20 years while my home value has been stagnant or reduced. The schools do not excel despite the spin, I can’t water my lawn, can’t park at the station to get to work, can’t get through town with all the traffic, very hard to live here now. The mayor is able to get her family village jobs, sell us her property for millions, Spend money on a old house and then fight to protect it, guess the list goes on.
Funny thing. We have a house in another part of NJ with a higher value, half the taxes, higher ranked schools, and much easier commute to NYC.
#18. Ridgewood High School Location: Ridgewood, Bergen County Overall Niche Grade: A+
By Matthew Stanmyre | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Sports programs from school districts in Passaic, Ocean, Bergen and Essex counties have been ranked the best in New Jersey and among the most highly rated in the nation, according to the latest Niche best schools rankings.
The study rated school district athletics as a whole, considering parent and student opinions, number of interscholastic sports offered, percentages of girls and boys participating in sports and the average athletic expense per student, among other factors.
Scroll down to see the full rankings for New Jersey.
* Note: The rankings do not include private schools. Click here to see the full Niche rankings.
Ridgewood NJ, What’s better than a summer cocktail utilizing the freshest ingredients? As the summer season rapidly approaches, Kings Food Markets has crafted the perfect summer-time cocktails fit for any occasion, including:
Sunset Mimosa– Everything gets hotter when the sun goes down.
At Kings, we offer a wide variety of Kings Sparkling Lemonades, including Original, Pink, Orange and Pomberry, that are bright, refreshing beverages with a light effervescence and smooth, citrus taste, imported directly from France.
We also offer a nice selection of Kings Sparkling Natural Mineral Waters to concoct the above cocktails, or even to enjoy on the patio on that hot summer day. Our Sparkling Waters are produced in the heart of the Italian Alps, naturally filtered for an exceptional crisp and clean tasting water.
Looking for garnishes? Kings Organic Fresh Herbs add nuance and complexity to any cocktail. Whether you are looking for Fresh Sage, Rosemary, Mint or Bay Leaves, Kings offers more than 16 fresh herbs to top off your perfect cocktail.
And if you need a place to pick up your favorite bottle, your neighborhood store along with our Ridgewood, location offers Fine Wine and Spirits- a truly one stop shopping experience.
Photo by Terry Wittmaack Gold Medalists Girls Varsity 2x Claire Callaghan, Jordan Wittmaack Coaches: Bob O’Conner ,Boris Roque Alvarez
May 9,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Crew had another great weekend of racing as the boys and girls traveled down to Philadelpihia for the City Championship, a regional championship that includes high school teams from the mid-Atlantic region. Against a competitive field, Ridgewood was able to come away with many excellent results in this two day event.
The first day served as a qualifying round for crews to advance to semi-finals and finals on Sunday. 11 of the 15 entries advanced to Sunday’s racing.
Sunday featured racing that matched the intensity of the rapidly changing weather. Ridgewood rowers battled both the other crews and gusting winds down the race course.
Sunday morning, the boys junior varsity doubles rowed by Drew Johnson and Alex Melarti; and Sebastian Rivero and Walter Friedrich qualified for their finals by finishing in the top three in their respective semi-final heats.
Sunday afternoon the finals started and Ridgewood did not disappoint regardless of the conditions. Ridgewood carried 11 crews into finals in 10 events. Of the crews in finals, 8 came away with medals; 4 crews came away with bronze medals, 3 crews received silver medals, and the varsity girls double of Claire Callaghan and Jordan Wittmaack came away with gold.
Photo by Claus Melarti Bronze Medalists Boys JV 2x Drew Johnson, Alex Melarti, Coach Boris Roque Alvarez
Bronze
Girls Freshman 4x (Nicole Kye, Holly Sisco, Khushi Patel, and Anna Soderlund)
Boys Junior Varsity 2x (Drew Johnson and Alex Melarti)
Girls Varsity Lightweight 2x (Maddy Phillips and Emily Gilman)
Boys Varsity Lightweight 2x (Sam Daspin and Spencer Campbell)
Silver
Girls Junior Varsity 2x (Alexandra Walton Roth and Maddie Gibson)
Boys Junior Varsity 4x (Edward Hida, Alex Saladucha, Joe O’Keefe, and Henry Koontz)
Girls Varsity 2x (Claire Callaghan and Jordan Wittmaack)
In the girls varsity double, the crew had to fight back from behind to secure the victory. According to Senior gold medalist Claire Callaghan, “the other crews went out quickly in the first 500 meters” of the 1500 meter competition, but the double “stuck to and executed our race plan and were able to move through the competition.”
“I have great memories from racing at City’s and have won 3 golds and a silver in my four years of competing here,” says Callaghan.
Select crews will travel to Lake Mercer next weekend for the USRowing Mid-Atlantic Youth Championship. There, crews will attempt to qualify for the USRowing Youth National Championship Regatta held in Sarasota, Florida this June.
Flying the flag at any cost goes hand in hand with extreme liberals fury against republicans. These people will stop at nothing to forcefully push and fulfill their agenda. If you just simply say you are against any flag other than the national flag flying in public property they will mercilessly attack you. It is impossible to express the simplest, most honest opinion on this very ordinary issue on any social media forum for you have to be really strong and respond in kind or be subdued and avoid conflict. To me it is simply stupid but also offending to the rest of the village community to ask so persistently about flying a flag because you are proud of leading a certain way of life. Fly your pride flag anywhere in your property be it your car, home, yard, bedroom, bathroom but do not touch public spaces which belong to all residents. If you feel excluded and not represented by the American flag then this is the wrong country for you. Stop trying to force people to like the way you live. I do not care what flag you fly, what life you lead, what you do at home etc. To me you are fellow residents whom I respect just like everybody else but you are inviting rejection by using these ugly tactics to impose your will to the rest of town’s population. I hope VC regardless of the immense pressure will not bend to satisfy this flag request.
This is straight out of the DNCC playbook. When they could not get Scott Garrett any other way, they painted him as a homophobe and won.
Likewise, they are trying to get at this Village Council through the homophobe route, given that their other attempts have failed. It is a tried and tested strategy. The village is increasingly populated by ‘progressives’ who are ready to ignore all other issues as long as you somehow accuse one side of ‘homophobia’ – not matter how absurd the premise.
This entire move is very well choreographed by Hackensack. Expect accusations of homophobia and bigotry (with reference to the referenced article) to feature prominently in the next council election.
And expect the unthinking sheep to fall in line. Council robbing the taxpayers blind and selling the village to developers – who cares? They will fly the rainbow flag!!!!
Ridgewood NJ, the Village council responds to erroneous assertions made by former Village Manager Roberta Sonenfled.
IMPORTANT: In response to a recent Ridgewood News letter to the editor written by Roberta Sonenfled: Residents should be cautious relying on the content due to errors, omissions and misrepresentations.
• Sonenfeld’s suggestion that the process wasn’t transparent is remarkable! The process follewed is the same shwas required to follow as former Village Manager. AS REQUIRED BY LAW, once the budget is introduced it must be reviewed by the Village auditor and afterwards, again as required by law, must be submitted to the State in THEIR BUDGET FORMAT for review with the completion of check list and all required documentation. This process is no different than any other year – even during those she was village manager. When the budget is advertised, it advises the public to contact the Village CFO with the appropriate phone number and extension. No phone calls have been received to date.
• Sonenfeld’s feigned surprise about the use of “rainy day” funds is curious since Sonenfeld utilized the surplus over and over again. She need only review her use of $3.032mil in 2015 and $3.3mil in 2016. The 2017 use of surplus, at approximately 10% more, is well within the amounts stipulated by the guidelines of the resolution recommended by Sonenfeld and adopted by Village Council last year for the utilization of “rainy day” reserves.
• Sonenfeld writes, “the budget proposes $7.4 million in authorized general debt for 2017 – an 88 percent increase over last year.” If she had provided the actual 2016 amount of $6.021 million ( authorized general debt) readers would have recognized her math error…. The increase in 21% NOT 88% – the difference is for possible property acquisition. Remember this is not incurred debt, IT IS AUTHORIZED BUT NOT ISSUED
• Too many error, omissions and misrepresentations to list!!!
Again readers should consider the source. Email if you have any questions: [email protected]
New Jersey Transit, one of the nation’s busiest commuter railroads, has been flogged by riders who have suffered through a brutal stretch of travel upheavals. The railroad’s safety record is under scrutiny after a fatal derailment last year.
Now, questions are being raised about how it handles a basic task: ensuring riders pay their fares.
More than 240,000 fares were not collected on New Jersey Transit last year because trains were crowded and understaffed, according to a letter sent in March to the railroad’s executive director from the union representing conductors. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times, said uncollected fares could represent more than $5.5 million in lost revenue.
It simply won’t work due to parking psychology. The target market for the people who are supposedly in need of extra arking places are the shoppers and diners. These people simply won’t use a parking facility of this kind. First we have the shoppers. The reality is that there really is a declining shopping-in-Ridgewood demand. It’s not a Ridgewood thing but a national thing where people are changing their shopping habits, moving more and more to online, and when they do go brick and mortar, it’s big box places. As for diners, yes, there will always be the dining crowd, however, they will simply go to a different town to eat if they can’t find street, and more importantly, free parking.
This garage will be the equivalent of the Simpson’s monorail.
file photo of Roberta interfering with petitioners
The same Roberta Sonnefeld who:
>Created a revenue scheme to fine taxpayers during leaf collection season and bragged about the tens of thousands of dollars the village collected?
>Refused to detail how much parking fees would increase under the monster garage plan?
>Took a giant check on behalf of the village from the baseball association to help convert Schedler to a “field” despite residents saying they didn’t want it?
>Ignored residents pleas before and after the “bike lane to nowhere” was painted as congestion overtook the overpass as they predicted then told them everything was fine and they were wrong?
>Actively worked with developer John Saraceno on behalf of the monster garage?
>Sat idly by as the historic commission violated conflict of interest rules when voting on the garage and sought to limit an elected member’s right to speak?
>Resigned saying she didn’t support the council’s agenda?
Mr. Doblin in Ridgewood we are all Americans and the American flag is highest form of inclusion the world has ever known. Sorry if you dont like the American flag .In Ridgewood we are not defined by our race , creed or sexual preferences . Nor are we segregated by it .We are defined by our willingness in invest our energy and debate for our community . We don’t always agree on things , but in the end all the acrimony amounts to the fact that people really care about where they live .
In Ridgewood no one needs to prove anything to anyone , if you want to fly the “pride flag” in your front yard your more than welcome to do so . You see in Ridgewood we respect peoples choices , even if we may or may not agree with them.
However I do take special issue in using a child’s painful suicide as a lame attempt to manipulate pubic opinion . While some would suggest it is desperately “sick” , I will assume you are sadly misguided.
Instead of the focus on flag flying and calling people cowards or racists I would suggest a change in editorial policy for Bergen Record . If you really want to help the gay community, perhaps embracing a more aggressive vetting of refugees, might avoid more instances like the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, or the San Bernardino shooting. It would also lift suspicions off of people legitimately coming to our shores in hopes of making a better life.
Or better yet if your looking to raise flags ,there are many Mosques in New Jersey that should as you have suggested for Ridgewood prove they are “inclusive”, and unfurl the rainbow flag right in front of their welcoming doors .
Location: Ridgewood Business District, E. Ridgewood Ave., and side streets
Come on down to Ridgewood’s famous
Sidewalk Sale Days,
Thursday, Friday, Saturday
May 18, 19, 20, 2017Shop and dine all day, sales galore,
great deals while strolling through Ridgewood.
for more details check on the Chamber’s website calendar May 18th, for the names of the stores participating.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Art Institute’s 58th Annual Young People’s Scholarship Exhibition: Call For Entries
Do you know a Young Aspiring Artist between the ages of 7 and 17? What a perfect opportunity to introduce them to the Ridgewood Art Institute Their work will be hung in our beautiful galleries where family members and friends can view the work at our Opening Reception, where awards will be also be announced. Original artwork, done either independently or at school is welcome. Any size is acceptable, however all artwork must be framed, WIRED and ready to hang. NO computer generated or 3-dimensional artwork will be accepted. Student members of the Ridgewood Art Institute may enter up to two pieces, all others may enter one. Entries must be delivered to the Ridgewood Art Institute on Saturday May 20th between the hours of 11am and 4pm.The following information must be printed on the back of the artwork. Name,Title, Age, Address, Contact Number, School and Grade.In addition you will be required to fill out an empty form on receiving day.
Opening Reception and Awards Ceremony
Sunday, June 4th, 2017 2-4pm
Artwork available for viewing through Friday, June 16th, 2017
Pickup:Saturday, June 17th, 2017 11am-4pm
All entries will be judged by the Ridgewood Art Institute’s Instructors. Scholarships in traditional painting and drawing , cash prizes merchandise awards, certificates of merit and honorable mentions will be awarded.
For more info on this and other events, please visitridgewoodartinstitute.org
Ridgewood NJ, On Friday June 9th at 8 p.m. Ridgewood Friends of Music will present a one-of-a-kind benefit concert featuring internationally renowned banjo master Tony Trischka and the locally beloved bluegrass band Blue Plate Special. Surprise guests will join them.
Tony Trischka is one of the most influential banjo artists in the world. His Grammy-nominated album Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular features appearances by banjo luminaries like Steve Martin, Earl Scruggs and Béla Fleck. In 2007 he was named the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Banjo Player of the Year. His latest album is Great Big World (Rounder Records). The artist has also been featured on multiple NPR programs like Mountain Stage and A Prairie Home Companion. He produced Steve Martin’s Grammy-nominated album Rare Bird Alert (Rounder Records) that featured Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks. A dedicated chronicler of banjo history, Trischka was the Musical Director and Co-Producer of the 2011 PBS documentary, “Give Me the Banjo”.
Blue Plate Special (Jay Friedman, Dave Gross, James Hempfling, Rob Hecht, Dan Whitener and Tom Wise) plays the kind of music that can make you feel like you’re home wherever you are. A group of infinitely talented musicians and singer-songwriters, Blue Plate Special performs Americana, bluegrass, and swing. Their latest album, Back By Popular Demand (2016) features fourteen original tunes. Thematically eclectic, the songs will take you on a bluegrass-style journey through life, from the depths of a man’s sorrow, to courtship on a rotary phone. The band has a sense of humor as well; one of the catchiest tunes on the album is a waltzy number about the end of the world. Even if you’ve never heard a lick of bluegrass, a night with Blue Plate Special will make you realize this music was in you all along.
“Bluegrass Under the Stars” will take place outdoors at Graydon Pavilion (rain location GW Middle School). All of the proceeds of this event will go to support Ridgewood Public Schools’ music programs grades K-12. Friends of Music funds music assemblies, helps pay for RHS concert venues, provides showcases and master classes for young musicians, lends financial support to the Ridgewood Summer Music Academy and offers a college scholarship to a graduating senior.
Tickets are $25 online and $30 at the door. Bring your own lawn chair.
